12 lesson plans and activities to help students understand the impact of the Sept. 11 attacks
If you're looking to teach your kids or students about the Sept. 11 attacks, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and Scholastic have meaningful lesson plans and learning activities.
If you're looking to teach your kids or students about the Sept. 11 attacks, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and Scholastic have meaningful lesson plans and learning activities.
The museum offers a number of activities for the little ones that will teach them about courage, compassion, resilience and hope.
The 12 lessons and activities below will help students understand the lasting impact the attacks had on the United States and the world:
Activities for kids
1. Dear Hero
Children can create artwork or write a letter to honor and thank heroes in their own community. View instructions here.
2. Paper Cranes
Students learn to fold paper cranes, and make their own chain to symbolize peace and healing. View instructions here.
3. First Responder Badges
Design your own first responder badge to honor their service. View instructions here.
4. Survivor Tree Leaves
They can make a leaf to add to a collective tree inspired by the story of the Survivor Tree. View instructions here.
COMPLETE COVERAGE: 9/11 - 20 Years Later
Lesson plans
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum offers about 20 lesson plans for students from grades 3 to 12. Each theme is broken down per grade. Below are some of the lessons available. To see the full list click here.
5. Events of 9/11
What happened on 9/11? Grades 6 to 12.
How can art convey meaning in the immediate aftermath of a tragic event? Grades 6 to 12.
6. Memorializing 9/11
What are ways that people memorialized the 9/11 attacks? Grades 3 to 5.
7. Repercussions of 9/11
How did 9/11 affect Americans' sense of safety? For Grades 6 to 8.
Scholastic offers one lesson plan and discussion guides. Below are some of the guides they offer. To see the full Sept. 11 collection click here.
8. Encountering History
A 9/11 Lesson Plan for grades 6-12. See plan here.
9. Remembering September 11
Oral history project for grades 9-12. See more on this teaching technique here.
10. Teaching 9/11
Use of task rotation for analyzing artifacts and primary sources for grades 6-8. See more on this teaching technique here.
Learn from first-person accounts
11. Webinar Stories
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum offers a collection of first-person accounts of the attacks and their aftermath. Watch videos here.
12. Eyewitness Accounts
Teens describe the September 11 attacks. Grades 3 to 5 and 6 to 8. Read accounts here.
See more on the lesson plans and activities below:
